Our insight: What people see is what most people want. What people don’t see is what most people don’t want. That’s why most people do not have the kind of success. Most people think meditation is just to relax and do not do anything, but what they do not think of are exactly the same requirements as below the iceberg.

Insomnia has become a modern city sickness. Research has been carried out to evaluate different Traditional Chinese Medicine treatments using evidence-based medicine methodologies. The cause of insomnia may come from one or more of the five elements systems, including the Wood mental system, the Fire emotional system, the Metal behavioural system, the Water spiritual system, and the Earth physical system (with one or more of its five sub-systems).

From this analysis we will try to find the common structure and relationship that can be generalized using systems thinking which could be applied to treat different sickness and promote healthcare. Research has shown that this systems thinking is rooted in the fundamental concept in traditional Chinese culture since around 500BC. The concept is also embedded in the teaching of Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Traditional Chinese Medicine. The traditional Chinese system theories under investigation include the Taichi yin-yang system theory, the Five systems theory of the human mind, and the Traditional Chinese Medicine differential diagnosis-cure process. These theories are found to be related to different modern system theories including Viable system model.

Taichi yin-yang system theory describes the relationship between any two entities (element/process) at any level of interest. It concerns the quantitative and qualitative changes between the entities. This is related to causal loop diagram (CLD) in system dynamics which uses reinforcing loop and balancing loop. The observer is not specified in the theories, but the perspectives of the observer actually determine the entities, the unit of quantitative changes, and the ratio of qualitative changes. The Five systems theory of the human mind is one of the important concepts developed in the teaching of Buddha. The Five systems are: awareness, perspective, sensation, action and physical object. These five systems can be used to describe the properties of the observer and the decision maker.

The Traditional Chinese Medicine differential diagnosis-cure process is a practical systemic process that has been used daily for more than 2000 years. It is believed that the whole macroscopic-microscopic spectrum of systems can be suitably accommodated. The system state identification involves three pairs of direction-forming spectrums. The Superficial and Internal spectrum gathers information between the boundary and the system. The Cold and Hot spectrum gathers information between the form and function, or matter and energy within the system. The Deficient and Excess spectrum gathers information between the environment and the system. Strategy can then be formulated to regulate and maintain the system.

The ability to concentrate has grown in importance in the ever speeding pace of modern society. The feedback cycle of information and matter are getting faster and faster. Moreover, multi-tasking has become a fundamental prerequisite for daily work. Furthermore, quality of services and quantity of serving duration keep increasing. All these factors require our good concentration. Research has been carried out to evaluate different treatments using evidence-based medicine methodologies. One of the treatments is the observation of one’s breath, namely Anapana, and its extension to the observation of the bodily sensations called Vipassana. In this workshop we will practice the mini version of the treatment.

From the analysis of the practice, we will try to find the common structure and relationship that can be generalized using systems thinking which could help us understand how our minds work. Research has shown that this systems thinking is rooted from the teaching of Buddha.

The application of system theory requires the understanding of ourselves and of each other, the nature, and the past and future possibilities in a systemic way. That is, we need to understand both the structure and dynamics of our physical body systems, and of our mental mind observations. Research shows that the composition of our body and that of our mind may be explained by the same system theory relating to energy, matter, life and information. We employed this simple ancient system theory as taught by Buddha to investigate how our naturally systemic-structured mind arbitrarily developed all the non-systemic and problematic way of thinking. We use our body to experience the world around us but our mind is the one which is observing and making decisions to change the world. System theory sees the world as composing of observers, decision makers, systems, the environment, the boundaries and relationships between them. There are in effect two opposite forces in the world that constantly interact with each other, creating a flow of energy, matter and information between systems and the environment. On one hand we have the disorder force governed by the second law of thermodynamics that drives everything into an equilibrium state with maximum entropy. On the other hand we have the organizational force governed by the constraints of a system that drives the system into a particular desired steady state with a low entropy.

Our minds are both the observer and the decision maker confronting a major problem. Throughout our life we look for satisfaction that brings happiness. Our government has been relying on economics to achieve this but 80% of the time we are dissatisfied with the people and situations around us, giving rise to craving, aversion and ignorance in our minds and creating all sorts of problems in our society. This is called suffering in the teaching of Buddha, and he offered us a three step solution for our mind. In this workshop we will investigate the systemic view of these three steps, namely self-protection, concentration and purification of mind. We will also investigate a 10-day Vipassana mental healthcare program for people of all religions including scientific communities. It is believed that such a program could bring happiness, peace and harmony for our society.

Is death the end of our lives or just the beginning of another new life? A system undergoes a transition of system state upon death, but will the system continue in other forms at other places? Or will it just terminate totally? What are the possible new system states and are they sustainable? In this workshop we will investigate the sustainability of Heaven, Hell, Earth and Nibbana (null). We will also investigate the way to prepare ourselves to transit into these states.

From Science to Systems to Systemic Solutions: Systems Thinking for Everyone is the theme of the 61st World Conference of the International Society for the Systems Sciences (ISSS), hosted this year in cooperation with the renowned Bertalanffy Center for the Study of Systems Science and convening at the Vienna University of Economics and Business. ISSS2017 Vienna is the premiere global event for trans-disciplinary research, presentations, and workshops that bridge the gap between systems science and practice to advance innovative concepts, design applications, and more toward systemic sustainability and transformation across technological, ecological, and social systems. This year, the conference framework will feature speakers and sessions aimed at bringing academics, industry and governmental leaders, and practitioners together to explore the creative tensions and opportunities for systems research, application, and design at the intersection of humans, nature, organization, and technology through these themes: Government and Governance; Economy; Health; Ecosystems; and Innovation, Education & Development. The call for papers is now open, and can be found here. Multiple student awards will be given, and all papers are eligible for a new “Best Conference Theme Paper” award sponsored by MDPI. Students are especially encouraged to submit. With more than 22 Special Interest Groups convening, and a pre-conference doctoral program offered, this conference promises to enrich and expand your knowledge, networks and more. See our conference website more information, including registration details and the call for papers, www.isss2017vienna.com.

2017 International Society for the Systems Sciences ISSS 61th conference
Health and Systems Thinking Special Integration Group SIG

Call for papers

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) definition of health in their constitution is: “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” We employ the Chinese five elements systems theory to categorize health systems into physical health (Earth), mental health (Wood), emotional health (Fire), behavioural health (Metal), and spiritual health (Water). This Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Systemic Healthcare Engineering theory can be applied according to the viewpoint of any particular observer. Further study reveals that the same structure could be also applied to the levels above and below the particular observer level, as well as the interactions between the levels. http://www.yinyangbalance.asia/blog/?p=2282

A Five Elements Level i+-1 system structure is proposed as an observer-system structure. Every point of view (Wood) will have its own choice of perspectives (Water), which will form a particular observer and hence a specific set of analysis (Fire), behaviour (Metal) and physical systems (Earth). These points of view could originate from DNA level, virus level, cell level, human individual level, organizational level, governmental level, or even the whole earth level.

Extending the theories for systemic health of human into the systemic health of any systems with any observer’s point of view, is the development towards the General System Theory. Hopefully we will eventually meet with other Special Integration Groups at the same point with similar systems theories. We are also looking forward to the moment when the western systems theories meets with the eastern systems theories, and together they integrate to benefit the world in solving complex problems.

If you share this vision (Wood), then I invite you to use this insightful gut feeling (Fire) through your heart to make it happen (Metal), by submitting your papers (Earth) or coming to the Conference for group discussions (Earth). We will all benefit from the pool of knowledge stored in the environment of perspectives (Water) accumulated in all the experts and members of International Society for the Systems Sciences (ISSS).

Let us discuss health and any kinds of systems thinking at any of the above areas and levels. Abstract presentations are also welcome. Let us take this opportunity during this systems thinking age, to investigate how a particular health issue could be analyzed with systems thinking, and evolve together for better understanding of the issue and for feasible systemic solutions.

This is a project that cannot be accomplished by one pair of hands. This is indeed a historical milestone that requires a collective mind-sharing to establish. I appeal to your support and look forward to your contributions.

Presentation format (Taichi): 15-20min presentation (Yang), 5min for feedback and questions (Yin), and 5min to integrate with other papers and the theme of the Conference (new level of Taichi).

It seem that after joining the ISSS for 10years, all the people really get into my mind consciously and also subconsciously, because you people start getting into my dreams more and more often. The week before I dreams of Jennifer telling me the new policies of ISSS. And after I arrived Vancouver, I dreamed of John kinaman giving a workshop in a room full of people, talking about the fundamental phenomenon in our daily lives that cannot be explained in our everyday languages. And I was so excited in the dream and I said: “This is outside the scope of our daily language and we need to invent another language to explain all these…” And then I suddenly got inspired in the dream and said: “This is exactly what the Chinese Taichi Yin-Yang system theory is about, and this is exactly what Systems theories are all about”. I as so excited that I woke up and found myself keep talking and waving my hand! Maybe the workshop was held in University of British Columbia. Ha ha ha, thanks to all of you for inspiring me with all these wisdoms. ^o^

3. SIG: HEALTH AND SYSTEM THINKING: THE QUEST FOR A GENERAL SYSTEM THEORY FOR ANY PARTICULAR PERSPECTIVE – “Unity in Diversity as a natural principle”健康與系統思維特別融合小組：尋找適用於任何一個觀點的廣義系統論 – 以多元性合一作為自然法則 #2869

If you have missed any of the above session, please come and contact me for a personal discussion. ^o^

Tomas
Bachelor of Engineering in Information Technology
Bachelor from Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Master of Engineering in Telecommunication

–國際系統科學協會第60屆週年國際研討會 The 60th Annual World Conference of the International Society for the Systems Sciences www.isss.org/

–健康與系統思維特別融合小組 Health and System thinking Special Integration Group

Workshop : 2016.07.24 University of Colorado, USA.

–系統論基礎工作坊：佛學的東方系統思維 – 以天人合一理解系統完整性 Systems Basics in Understanding System Wholeness “Reuniting Nature and Humanity”: The Oriental Systems Thinking in the teaching of Buddha.

Presentation: System wholeness and Unity in Diversity within ISSS 系統的完整性與系統界之求同存異、博大精深、見微知著、對立統一。

Abstract: A better way to explain the wholeness from an oriental point of view is the major direction of our research, but in the end it seems to coincide with modern Western systems thinking such as Relational-theory and DSRP systems thinking, as well as physics and mathematics. The first step starts from the concentration on the parts as in Reductionistic thinking, to the concentration on wholeness as in Systems thinking. Both schools of thought are important in their corresponding applications. The second step involves the combination of the observer and decision maker into the system, similar to the five aggregates human mind system in the teaching of Buddha, and the Relational-Theory by John Kineman. But finally the structure of the environment also need to be included for the sack of wholeness, similar to Schema theory by Kent Palmer. Now all three are coming together and forming the much better wholeness. However, this is only the structure and properties of the wholeness, and there is also the diagnostic and regulative part from Traditional Chinese Medicine, which could be the application part of systems theory in real life problem solving. Together they are very promising in forming the wholeness of systems theory and systems practice.

The structures and functions of human body in Traditional Chinese Medicine is based on the oriental system thinking of Taichi Yin-Yang structures and functions. Researches show that similar structures and functions are found in modern Western systems theories which are composed of systems, observers and decision makers, and the environment. TCM employs different systemic models to diagnose the human body. However, all these models employ the common 3D structure of Superficial-Internal, Cold-Hot, and Deficient-Excess spectrums. This oriental systems thinking seems promising in combining with modern Western systems theory in the application of system diagnosis and re-balancing. It is hoped that the combination of the east-west systems thinking will finally help human understanding in solving the modern complex problems.

Chinese writing, English writing, Middle East writing emerging from different directions will in the end all occupy the whole paper to express the intended ideas, emotion, systems, instructions, and knowledge. Different systemic models arise together with their corresponding observers and decision makers. That is, people located with different geometrical properties, from Southern or Northern part of china. In addition, people with different properties because of the different state of their civilization, either at war or peace, lack of or over-supply of food, too much leisure or too much hard work. That is to say, the systemic model is also related to the environment, combined and emerged into the perspectives part, the water sub-system, of the whole system.